Legal News

Supreme Court Won't Hear Domestic Spying Challenge

By FindLaw Staff

The U.S. Supreme Court will not hear a legal challenge to the federal government's warrantless domestic surveillance program. Under the program, the U.S. government may monitor certain international emails and telephone calls made by U.S. citizens, without first getting a court-issued warrant. In July 2007, a federal appeals court ruled that the groups challenging the law -- including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) -- had no standing to sue since they could not show that they had been harmed, and the Supreme Court today refused to take up a review of that decision. According to Reuters, "The high court's action means that Bush will be able to disregard whatever legislative eavesdropping restrictions Congress adopts as there will be no meaningful judicial review."

• Reuters: Top Court Won't Review Bush Domestic Spying Case
• U.S. Government's Brief in Opposition (U.S. Dept. of Justice)
• ACLU Press Release on the Case
• ACLU, et al v. NSA, et al (U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit 7/6/07) [PDF file]
• U.S. Supreme Court Center (FindLaw)

Full post as published by FindLaw's Common Law on February 19, 2008 (boomark / email).